I "drove" a bug in High School, but didn't really "learn" to drive a stick until after I graduated.
I knew the basics and could get around, but I never really mastered driving a stick until I had proper instruction. I would always map my route around hills that I knew I had to stop on and heavy traffic situations. After someone taught me, I never had a problem.
Most kids today cannot drive a stick and don't want to learn. Their parents mostly have slushboxes and have no desire to own a stick. It is an art to drive one well.